Canadian NORAD Region and the Canadian Contributions to the NORAD Tracks Santa Program
The Canadian NORAD Region and members of the Canadian Forces have had key roles in NORAD and the NORAD Tracks Santa Program on the internet since their inception. Canadian NORAD Region Jet Fighter Escort for Santa Claus and the NORAD Tracks Santa website Jet Fighters and Santa Claus Escort]] The NORAD Tracks Santa website from 1998 thru 2005 showed that as Santa approached Newfoundland in Canada, a flight of Canadian NORAD Region/Canadian Air Force fighters (CF-18 Hornets) had a rendezvous with Santa in order to provide him an escort/honor guard and ensure that he had no difficulty with the various Air Defense Identification Zones (ADIZ) he must enter flying through Canada. The Canadian NORAD Region still designates escort pilots for the annual Christmas Eve journey of Santa Claus, even for those years when a Santa Cam video is not shown of their escorts duties. i6tsV3UNriI Canadian NORAD Region providing Santa Claus escorts as Santa is flying over Newfoundland, Canada. Link to full size video For the 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa season Santa Claus official escort duties were handled by: 1. In the east by 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Sylvain Ménard, and Major Eric Haas, an exchange officer from the United States Air Force, launched from 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebe, Canada, to welcome Santa as the sleigh approached Canadian airspace. 2. In the west by 409 Squadron Commander, Lt.-Col. Eric Kenny, and Captain Chad Ireland of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada took over the escort duties as Santa made his way into Western Canada | image3 = MAJ Haas – Dec 2010.jpg | width3 = 200 | alt3 = | caption3 = Major Eric Haas, with the 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron and an exchange officer from the United States Air Force, handling 2010 Santa Claus escort duties in eastern Canada. | image4 = NTS Pilots – 4 Wing – Dec 2010.jpg | width4 = 200 | alt4 = | caption4 = 409 Squadron Commander, Lt.-Col. Eric Kenny, and Captain Chad Ireland of 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada, handled NORAD’s Santa escort duties as Santa Claus made his way into Western Canada on Christmas Eve of 2010. }} In 2009, Lieutenant-Colonel Sean Penney and Captain David Chamberlin of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, and Captain Yannick Jobin and Captain Dave Patrick of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, took on the responsibility of welcoming Santa when he arrives in Canada for his annual Christmas Eve journey. In 2008, Major Kirk Soroka and Captain Dan Walters of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, and Captain Benoît Bouchard and Captain Matthew Maurice of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, took on the responsibility of welcoming Santa when he arrived in Canada on his annual Christmas Eve journey, and escorting him safely through Canadian airspace. In 2007, Captains Dave Moar and Craig Sharp of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada, and Captains Colin Marks and Yannick Jobin of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec took on the responsibility of welcoming Santa when he arrived in Canada on his annual Christmas Eve journey, and escorting him safely through Canadian airspace. In 2006, four fighter pilots, Captain Forrest Rock and Lieutenant Colonel Patrice Laroche, of 3 Wing, Bagotville, Quebec, and Captain Dan Walters and Major Chris Hamilton of 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alberta, were official escort pilots for Santa Claus while he visited Canada during his annual Christmas Eve trip around the world. | image2 = CPT Rock – Dec 2006.jpg | width2 = 150 | alt2 = | caption2 = Captain Forrest Rock of 3 Wing handling 2006 Santa Claus escort duties in eastern Canada. | image3 = MAJ Hamilton – Dec 2006.jpg | width3 = 150 | alt3 = | caption3 = Major Chris Hamilton of 4 Wing handling 2006 Santa Claus escort duties in western Canada. | image4 = CPT Walters – Dec 2006.jpg | width4 = 150 | alt4 = | caption4 = Captain Dan Walters of 4 Wing handling 2006 Santa Claus escort duties in western Canada. | image5 = CPL Blackburn - 2006.jpg | width5 = 150 | alt5 = | caption5 = Corporal Ian Blackburn, of 409 Squadron, 4 Wing, Cold Lake, prepared a CF-18 Hornet that escorted Santa Claus on Christmas Eve of 2006. }} Canadian NORAD Region Holiday Messages me4LKHYPQMc 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa Holiday Message by Canadian NORAD Region. Chief Santa Trackers The first two Chief Santa Trackers from when the NORAD Tracks Program went on the World Wide Web in 1997 came from the Canadian Forces. They were the “Founding Chief Santa Tracker“ Major Jamie Robertson, Canadian Forces”, and the second “Chief Santa Tracker” Major (currently Lieutenant-Colonel) Douglas Martin, Canadian Forces. In 1997, Major Jamie Robertson, Canadian Forces, Deputy Director of NORAD Public Affairs at the time, took charge of the annual NORAD Tracks Santa program and expanded it to the World Wide Web, where corporation-donated services have given the tradition global accessibility. Major Robertson served thru the 2000 NORAD Tracks Santa season. and Santa Claus being briefed on the NORAD Tracks Santa program in October 2002 by Major Douglas Martin, Canadian Forces, Deputy Director of NORAD Public Affairs and Chief Santa Tracker.]] Major Douglas Martin, Canadian Forces was the Chief Santa Tracker from 2001 thru 2005. Even with the challenges NORAD faced in the last half of 2001, such as overseeing Operation Noble Eagle, thanks to the leadership of NORAD’s Chief Santa Tracker, the 2001 NORAD Tracking Santa season was an outstanding success. Major Martin’s tenure as Chief Santa Tracker saw many successes such as: 1) the appointment of Aaron Carter for the 2002 NORAD Tracks Santa season , 2) first use of a toll-free "1-800" type telephone number for children and the young at heart across the United States of America and Canada to call the NORAD Santa Tracking hotline without incurring long distance charges , 3) The two-year appointment of Ringo Starr, the former Beatle star as primary honorary Santa Tracker for the 2003 and 2004 NORAD Tracking Santa seasons , and 4) Lining up in the numerous celebrities who made video and audio appearances during the 2004 fiftieth (50th) tracking season of NORAD's annual tracking of Santa Claus. NORAD Tracks Santa Program Canadian Partners and Supporters The NORAD Tracks Santa Program also has Canadian partners and supporters. KOFNm5qQuNg Air Canada ran the 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa Trailer on all its December 2010 flights in order to boost publicity for the NORAD Tracks Santa Program. Link to full size video Air Canada became a new NORAD Tracks Santa (NTS) Partner for 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa season. Air Canada boosted publicity for the NORAD Tracks Santa Program thru a public service announcement in its December 2010 issue of its in-flight magazine, by running the 2010 NORAD Tracks Santa Trailer video during all Air Canada flights, and by working with the NORAD Tracks Santa Program on other publicity events. From the 2005 thru the 2008 NORAD Track Santa seasons, one could send e-mail to Santa Claus at the North Pole from the NORAD Tracks Santa website. For the 2008 NORAD Track Santa season, this was handled by the NORAD Tracks Santa partner for e-mail to the North Pole, Canada Post (Canada's Post Office). All elements of Canadian Forces in the air, on the land, and at sea have been supportive of the NORAD Tracks Santa program. CBC and Other NORAD Tracks Santa Videos and Audio featuring Canadians Canadian NORAD Region – NORAD Tracks Santa Program - Public Affairs Contact Lieutenant Jordan Woodman, Canadian NORAD Region Public Affairs, at (204) 833-2500, ext. 2028. References External links * Canadian NORAD Region Webpage at NORAD (English) * 1st Canadian Air Division - Canadian NORAD Region Webpage (English) * Canada Post Write to Santa Webpage (English)